Yesterday, Commissioner Maria Luís Albuquerque, in charge of sanctions implementation, chaired the tenth meeting of the High‑Level Expert Group on Union Restrictive Measures.
High‑level representatives from EU Member States, alongside the European Commission and the External Action Service had the opportunity to discuss key priorities for strengthening the implementation and enforcement of EU sanctions. First, participants took a close look at emerging threats in the financial sphere, such as the use of crypto assets, second the role of the European Anti‑Fraud Office (OLAF) in investigating and tackling sanctions circumvention, and third, Member States’ efforts to ensure the effective and consistent enforcement of EU restrictive measures.
Following the meeting, Commissioner Albuquerque said:
“Our sanctions are working. Their sustained application is putting significant pressure on Russia’s economy and undermining its capacity to finance its war of aggression against Ukraine.
But adopting sanctions is only the beginning. Their real impact depends on how effectively and consistently we implement and enforce them.
We cannot allow loopholes, uneven enforcement or circumvention to undermine our collective efforts. Ensuring that our measures are applied uniformly across the EU is essential to maintaining pressure on Russia and demonstrating the credibility of our commitment to Ukraine.
Today’s meeting provided an important opportunity to strengthen coordination between Member States and EU institutions, exchange experiences and learn from concrete enforcement cases.
The participation of OLAF reinforced a fundamental message: effective enforcement requires close cooperation across borders, authorities and jurisdictions.
As the geopolitical environment becomes increasingly complex, we must also anticipate and respond to new methods of sanctions circumvention.That is why I am pleased to announce the launch of the EU Crypto Sanctions Task Force.
This is an important step in strengthening our capacity to detect and tackle attempts to circumvent EU financial sanctions through crypto assets.
We know that this is a technically complex and rapidly evolving area. But our determination is clear. We will not allow new technologies or third‑country jurisdictions to become safe havens for sanctions evasion.By working closely together, sharing expertise and strengthening our enforcement capabilities, we can ensure that our sanctions continue to deliver results.
We must maintain and intensify pressure on Russia, close remaining loopholes and target those who enable its war effort.
Our commitment to Ukraine remains unwavering. EU sanctions will remain a central instrument of that commitment as we work towards a just and lasting peace in Ukraine”.
